[Ding—]
[New Familia member added: Hagoromo Gitsune (Hero Rank). Obtained 50,000 Points. Monthly point income increased by 10,000. Current monthly point increase: 201,500.]
Late at night, Luo Shu's home.
Sitting at the dining table, shirtless as he ate, Luo Shu flipped through the earlier Familia recruitment notice.
Finally, he glanced at his remaining points, shook his head, and took another bite of the now-cold curry rice on the table.
Just then, a familiar woman's voice sounded behind him:
"Somehow, every time I meet you, Luo Shu, it's always in such awkward circumstances."
Hearing this, Luo Shu guiltily glanced toward his bedroom.
Through the half-open door, Luo Shu could vaguely make out the small heads of Kisara and Hagoromo Gitsune lying on the bed.
Just then, the sound of light footsteps reached his ears.
As the birchwood chair beside him was gently pulled back, Kurumi Tokisaki in her gothic dress sat down, crossing her black-stockinged legs onto Luo Shu's lap:
"Sometimes, you should at least consider a lady's feelings, Luo Shu, the master of toying with women~"
Hearing this, Luo Shu responded somewhat awkwardly:
"Actually, there's a reason for this."
"Hmm?" Kurumi raised an elegant eyebrow, her teasing smile seeming to say, 'Please begin your excuses.'
At this point, Luo Shu poked at his curry rice with a spoon, speaking slightly guiltily:
"I think you're aware of my current relationship with Hagoromo Gitsune, right, Kurumi?"
Luo Shu knew his affairs with Hagoromo Gitsune hadn't escaped Kurumi's notice. During his days in Kyoto, at least two or three of her clones had been hiding in his shadows as a precaution.
"Currently, the only thing restraining Hagoromo Gitsune's actions is the vague promise of offspring. For such an unstable method, I naturally wanted to find a better alternative."
"And that method, as you know, is recruiting Hagoromo Gitsune into the Familia."
"To get her to sign the contract, some... utilisation of romantic relationships was inevitable."
Listening to Luo Shu's excuses, Kurumi narrowed her beautiful eyes:
"So Luo Shu is saying tonight's events were all for a reason?"
"Yes." Luo Shu nodded with exaggerated seriousness.
"Including little Kisara, who was sweet-talked into joining?" Kurumi asked with an amused smile.
"...Yes." Luo Shu's expression showed faint embarrassment.
"And Suzuka Dairenji last time too?" Kurumi seemed barely able to contain her laughter.
"...Probably, more or less the same." Luo Shu looked extremely uncomfortable, clearly running out of excuses.
Seeing this, Kurumi gave Luo Shu a once-over before bursting into laughter:
"Is admitting you're a playboy really that difficult?"
'Admitting isn't hard - it's admitting it to you that's difficult...' Luo Shu mentally added, his expression resigned:
"These were all necessary sacrifices."
Kurumi smiled softly. She withdrew her legs from Luo Shu's lap, hugging her knees as she crouched on the chair, both amused and exasperated:
"Alright then. Since you've successfully dealt with Hagoromo Gitsune, my clones' close protection can end for now."
"Though honestly, you don't really need much protecting these days."
With a sly glance at Luo Shu, she added:
"Most importantly, I'm sure Luo Shu doesn't want every misdeed witnessed, right?"
Luo Shu scratched his cheek at this remark.
Kurumi continued her teasing: "Oh, I almost forgot. Even with me or my clones hiding nearby, Luo Shu probably wouldn't feel embarrassed during his mischief - he'd get more excited, wouldn't he?"
"...Have mercy on me." Luo Shu sighed. Hearing this, even he wanted to despise himself now.
Seeing his reaction, Kurumi smiled and said:
"Alright, let's stop with the torture now."
"Next, let's talk about serious business."
"Serious business?" Luo Shu muttered, looking at Kurumi Tokisaki with confusion. "What matter requires your main body to come and report in person?"
Kurumi Tokisaki hugged her knees and reminded him:
"Remember what I mentioned before about the anomaly above Tokyo?"
Luo Shu thought for a moment, then recalled what Kurumi had previously said, and exclaimed in surprise:
"You mean that incident where you sensed a Spirit above Tokyo?"
Luo Shu finally remembered and then shook his head:
"I already assigned Meer to investigate this. The SDS's space station even risked exposure by dispatching fleets to search Tokyo's skies several times, but ultimately found nothing."
"According to the intel Meer compiled, the Spirit above Tokyo is likely hidden in a boundary only accessible to Spirits, and only descends under specific conditions."
"Yukino should have compiled and sent this intel to you, right?"
"That's indeed the case." Kurumi Tokisaki smiled brightly. "But aren't you curious why I brought this up now?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu fell silent for a moment before hesitantly asking:
"You've located the alternate space where that suspected Spirit resides?"
Kurumi Tokisaki nodded, then scrutinised Luo Shu and said:
"I had a vague sense of it before, but ever since your promotion yesterday, the sensation has grown clearer."
"Clearer after my promotion? Is that Spirit a suspected Demigod? No way..." Luo Shu looked utterly unconvinced.
At this, Kurumi Tokisaki smiled and said, "Whether it's a Demigod or not, I'm not sure. But there's one thing you must understand, Luo Shu."
Hearing this, Luo Shu felt an ominous premonition.
Just then, Kurumi cheerfully declared:
"To find that Spirit, we need an expert in spatial magic to help me anchor its location."
"And as it happens, you know just such a person, don't you?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu's face twitched as a name surfaced in his mind:
"The Witch of the Void..."
"Natsuki Minamiya..."
Luo Shu finally grasped the crux of the matter.
It seemed he hadn't reported to school for a long time, especially to Natsuki Minamiya, who had just taken over his class.
This... was going to be troublesome.